Bradbury's defence lawyer, Adam Roxborough, said the stabbing had occurred in the heat of the moment and that the murder involved a lack of premeditation.

Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Amanda Yip said: "If only you had listened to your friends who told you not to do something you would regret.

"I have heard the terrible loss and pain that Matty's family have suffered. The family have been left bewildered and unable to understand this senseless killing.

"There is also disbelief from your own family and those who know you - they mirror the feeling of a needless loss of life.

"You have caused real suffering to your own family as well as Matty's and this is something you will have to live with.

"Kaylen Perry, you assisted Bradbury knowing that he had stabbed Mr Shaw. You involved yourself in something you should have stayed well out of."

Bradbury will serve the full sentence of 16 years before being considered for parole.

Perry, 19, has been jailed for three years (Image: Cavendish Press)

In a statement, Mr Shaw's aunt, Lesley Shaw, said: "Matthew was a person who always put others before himself. He faced many tough times in his life but never hid that cheeky smile he had. I cannot express the hurt and pain that has come as a result of being told he was stabbed.

"The pain I have felt from losing my Matthew is the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life. All for this cowardly and senseless attack. Matthew did not deserve to die in that way. I pray we can get through this and I pray the person responsible feels completely devastated at what they have caused."

The court heard Bradbury had previously been convicted of a savage assault in July 2014 when he was just 15 after he and friends beat up a stranger in a park.

At the time he was ordered to complete a six month youth rehabilitation scheme but in 2016 when was 17, he verbally abused police trying to arrest him for being drunk in the street.

He was placed on another youth rehabilitation programme for 12 months but on Boxing day of that same year he arrested again for threatening behaviour and given a third placement on the same scheme.

After the sentencing hearing, Senior Investigating Officer Bob Tonge, of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit, said: “Nathan Bradbury is a violent man who flew into a drunken rage and was clearly looking to take his aggression out on somebody that night.

“The events that followed have left a permanent hole in Matthew Shaw’s family and they continue to feel his loss to this day.

“Although it won’t bring Matthew back, I hope the fact that the man responsible will now spend at least the next 16 years in prison will bring his loved ones some comfort and the feeling that justice has been served.”